Which treaty was broken when gold was found in South Dakota
The treaty that was broken when gold was found in South Dakota is known as the Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868. To understand how this treaty was broken, let me explain a bit about its background and content.
The Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868 was an agreement between the United States government and several Native American tribes, including the Sioux (Lakota) and Cheyenne. The treaty established the Great Sioux Reservation, which encompassed a vast area including parts of present-day South Dakota, as well as parts of North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.
Under the terms of the treaty, the Native American tribes retained ownership and control over the reservation land, while the U.S. government agreed to provide various benefits, including educational and medical assistance, as well as exclusive hunting rights within the reservation.
However, when gold was discovered in the Black Hills region of South Dakota in the mid-1870s, the U.S. government violated the treaty by encouraging and allowing miners to enter the area and start mining operations. This led to an influx of settlers and miners, which caused significant disruption and conflict with the Native American tribes who considered the Black Hills sacred.
In response to the violation of the treaty and the encroachment on their sacred lands, some members of the Lakota Nation, including leaders such as Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, resisted the encroachment through armed resistance. The resulting conflicts, such as the Battle of Little Bighorn, marked a turning point in the Indian Wars and the ongoing struggle between Native Americans and the U.S. government.
To learn more about this topic, you can refer to historical documents, books, or online resources that focus on the Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868, the discovery of gold in South Dakota, and the conflicts that arose as a result.